San Antonio granddad drives Wonder Woman Jeep

Carlos poses with his granddaughter’s custom-painted Wonder Woman Jeep. The retiree, who doesn’t want his last name mentioned, drives the Jeep once a day in San Antonio and gets a lot of requests for photos. less

Carlos poses with his granddaughter’s custom-painted Wonder Woman Jeep. The retiree, who doesn’t want his last name mentioned, drives the Jeep once a day in San Antonio and gets a lot of requests for ... more

Photo: René A. Guzman /San Antonio Express-News

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Ariella Bode with her newly custom-painted Wonder Woman Jeep in August 2017 in Taylorville, Illinois. Her grandfather Carlos has driven the Jeep in San Antonio since late 2017.

Ariella Bode with her newly custom-painted Wonder Woman Jeep in August 2017 in Taylorville, Illinois. Her grandfather Carlos has driven the Jeep in San Antonio since late 2017.

Photo: Courtesy Jessica Bode

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Jeep owner Ariella Bode is a big Wonder Woman fan, but she can’t drive the manual transmission vehicle because of a wrist injury and subsequent surgery. Her grandfather Carlos lent her his automatic Toyota Camry while he drives the Jeep. less

Jeep owner Ariella Bode is a big Wonder Woman fan, but she can’t drive the manual transmission vehicle because of a wrist injury and subsequent surgery. Her grandfather Carlos lent her his automatic Toyota ... more

Photo: René A. Guzman /San Antonio Express-News

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Ariella Bode collaborated with her mother, Jessica Bode, for the Jeep’s Wonder Woman design, which was custom-painted in Illinois.

Ariella Bode collaborated with her mother, Jessica Bode, for the Jeep’s Wonder Woman design, which was custom-painted in Illinois.

Photo: René A. Guzman /San Antonio Express-News

San Antonio granddad drives Wonder Woman Jeep

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Who needs an invisible jet when you have your own custom-painted Wonder Woman Jeep? And a grandfather with a secret identity to drive it, to boot!

The Jeep belongs to Texas A&M University student Ariella Bode. But lately, her grandfather Carlos (he doesn’t want his last name mentioned) has been piloting the red and star-spangled blue Jeep Wrangler around San Antonio.

You can’t miss it. A giant gold “WW” is emblazoned on the hood and extends around the vehicle like Wonder Woman’s own Lasso of Truth, ending in a loop around the gas cap on one side and at a decal of the iconic superhero on the other.

It’s a one-of-a-kind ride that commands its share of attention, often more attention than the soft-spoken Carlos would like.

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“It seems like everywhere I go, someone wants to take a picture or have their kids (near) it and take a picture,” he said. “And a lot of adults, too. A lot of adults take pictures. They really like it.”

In addition to plenty of photo requests, Carlos also gets lots of thumbs-ups and peace signs while out in the Jeep. He recalled one time at a stop light, a little girl in a car next to him stuck her head out the window and shouted, “Wonder Woman Jeep!”

But Carlos isn’t sporting this ride for the attention. He’s helping his Wonder Woman-loving granddaughter by driving her manual transmission Jeep while she drives his automatic Toyota Camry because of a wrist injury and subsequent surgery.

“I drive it once a day,” said Carlos, a retired maintenance technician. “Not anywhere far. Just to H-E-B or Sam’s (Club) or locally (to) Bill Miller’s.

Carlos originally did buy the Jeep for himself, but back then it was painted all red. He sold it to his daughter Jessica Bode, and she then gave the Jeep to her oldest daughter Ariella, a biomedical sciences major at A&M.

Jessica and Ariella collaborated on the Jeep’s Wonder Woman design, which Jessica had custom painted last summer in Illinois while she lived there. Jessica even named the vehicle “Diana,” a nod to Wonder Woman’s other identity as Princess Diana of Themyscira.

Jessica, who works with the U.S. Army Reserve, now lives in Hawaii with her youngest daughter. Jessica said in a text message she was totally surprised Carlos stood by the Jeep for a photo taken for this story.

“He’s the first to keep telling everyone it’s his granddaughter’s,” she said.

Ariella said she thinks her granddad gets a little embarrassed about her Wonder Woman Jeep and has complained good-naturedly, “When are you going to take it?” But she also thinks he secretly likes how much people enjoy it.

“My grandfather is always such a caring guy. It’s typical of him,” she said. “He loves it when everyone around him is happy and having a good time. He really finds joy in the little things like that.”

Like his daughter and granddaughters, Carlos and his wife also have seen the blockbuster movie “Wonder Woman.” But he said they are more likely to go see thrillers or action-adventure films.

Carlos just might roll out his own personalized ride soon. He’s working on a Harley-Davidson Heritage Softail Classic, which he has put together himself.

A grandfather who’s as good with his hands as he is doing good for family and strangers? Wonder Woman would be proud.